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Resident Evil 7 listed on LinkedIn, it begins
Keen eyes on NeoGaf have spotted some potentially huge Resident Evil news. Karen Brakenridge, a House of Moves costume designer, has listed a costume credit for Resident Evil 7 on her LinkedIn profile, dated November 2012-January 2013. House of Moves is a digital animation and motion capture studio for video games and has worked on such titles as Dead Space 2, Gears of War 3, and Uncharted 2.
This doesn’t come as a huge surprise, considering how much of RE6 was completed before its initial reveal. It amounts to a confirmation of natural assumptions. What’s troubling is that they started developing the sequel so quickly. Hopefully Capcom had time to take RE6‘s criticisms to the drawing board so we can get a more focused product. Revelations isn’t perfect but it’s far closer to what longtime fans would appreciate from the series. For now, we’ll just have to wait for the official confirmation and the reveal showing whether or not Capcom has finally figured out that Resident Evil fans want survival horror, a genre that can sell well given the right publisher support and hype.


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LAS VEGAS: Data warehousing giant Teradata Corp has been on a roll a year after leaving NCR Corp.
It has been rolling out more products and services in the past 12 months than it ever did when it was still under NCR, said chief executive officer Mike Koehler.
“With the spin-off from NCR, we have been able to set our own direction and control our own destiny,” Koehler said in his keynote address at the annual Teradata Partners conference recently. “We have also been able to operate with greater speed and focus and innovate better and faster.”
The company, which has a presence in more than 60 countries, introduced three new products and services last week alone.
“This is a significant release,” Koehler said in announcing the release of Teradata 13 at the conference.
Although competition in the warehousing industry was building up, the company was not worried.
Chief technology officer Stephen Brobst said a lot of people would ask whether he was worried about the new competition.
“Absolutely not! I’d be worried if they weren’t coming in,” Brobst said. “If you’re in an industry where people are leaving and not coming in, that’s when you’ve got a problem. Competition is good.”
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Indian mobile wallet company Paytm has selected Infosys Finacle, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IT major Infosys, to power its new payments bank business.
Paytm will use Infosys’ core banking solution Finacle for its deposit products and payments platform. The flagship banking product is part of the company’s subsidiary EdgeVerve Systems.
The modern application programme interfaces (APIs) of Finacle will enable Paytm to integrate its payments bank services rapidly across its existing wallet business.
Infosys claims that the platform’s readymade integration adaptors, along with its compliance to industry standards, will reduce integration costs as well as simplify Paytm’s banking transformation journey.
The solution’s product factory capability will enable Paytm to create and offer a bouquet of CaSa (Current Account and Savings) based products and services in addition to its existing Wallet offering.
The solution will also offer integration adaptors with many third party applications like anti-money laundering, the technology vendor added.
Paytm Payments Bank CEO Shinjini Kumar said: "After considering multiple core banking solutions, Paytm is happy to announce that we have chosen Infosys Finacle as the core banking solution for our payments bank.
"With its large deployment base in India including some of the largest banks, Finacle has proven to be a scalable solution and we are confident that it will be able to support our aspiration to be a large and robust platform for small value, high volume transactions for millions of Indians."


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The FPMS Band is excited to start the first fundraiser of the year – DISCOUNT CARDS.
These cards grant access to a discount app which can be utilized at over 300,000 franchises and businesses around the country! Each card sells for $20 and helps the FPMS Band with every card sold.
- Each card corresponds to 1 discount app on a smart phone (iOS, Android)
- Discounts are country wide, so students can sell to family and friends outside of the area
- The app utilizes GPS technology to offer deals that are near you
Sell quickly! This fundraiser ends on Tuesday, September 8th!


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Employees are the bosses after founder sells organic farm in Peterborough to his staff
Staff at an organic farm in Peterborough have become the owners after much of the business was sold by its founder.
Guy Singh-Watson, the creator of Riverford Organic Farmers, which has a farm at Sacrewell, has sold 74 per cent of the business to his staff.
He said: “It would be so easy to sell to an external investor, but I don’t want the Riverford brand we have built up over the last 30 years to be used to pass off mediocre food.
“I want to prove that business can be used as a force for good, and that we are not all motivated by greed.”
Rather than buy shares, the staff’s 74 per cent stake will be held in a trust that is overseen by a board that will be involved in running Riverford alongside a staff council.
David Simpson, who helps to run the Peterborough farm, said: "Each week we deliver boxes of veg and other organic produce across Peterborough.
“Employee ownership means that our amazing customers can continue to receive this iconic service, unaffected, for many years to come.”
The Sacrewell site was the first sister farm to open after the original Riverford site in Devon was founded in 1987. The business has sites in Hampshire and Yorkshire. It employs 40 people in Peterborough and about 650 nationally.
Mr Singh-Watson sold the 74 per cent of Riverford, which has an HMRC-approved valuation of Â£22 million, to his staff for Â£6 million, one third of its market value, while retaining 26 per cent and an active role in the business.
A spokesman for the business said: "Under the deal, staff will own the Riverford name and associated reputation, most of its land, and all buildings and infrastructure.
"Over the next four years Riverford will pay Mr Singh-Watson Â£6 million in lump sum installments funded with the help of ethical bank Triodos.
"Profits made during this time will need to cover the interest on borrowing but not the lump sum itself - this is to ensure that Riverford profits are not wiped over the next four years."
Three years ago the Riverford veg box was named Ethical Product of the Decade by the Observer newspaper.


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Thanks to the mainstreaming of the internet to where it is presently with computers, consoles, and mobile devices, it has in turn affected gaming in context to purchasing. This in turn has led to one of modern gaming’s biggest controversies, loot boxes. While it is a booming market, there have been many detractors and just a few days prior to the drafting of this article, Josh Hawley, a senator from the state of Missouri, pushed for national legislation to ban loot boxes.
However, making loot boxes illegal is by no means anything new in the world of gaming. While the chances of such a bill not passing are very high in the US thanks to how it allows lobbying under the free speech laws as ruled by American courts and net neutrality, other nations have managed to limit or outright ban them for reasons we are about to share. So, this pegs the next question, is legislating loot boxes and/or the use of micro-transactions the best course of action?
Why Legislate Them?
Considering the topic is political in nature, Honey’s Anime by no means is endorsing any political figure, party, or policy. When it comes to such issues involving politics, we want to be as neutral as possible to keep you readers properly informed. With loot boxes and in-game purchases a controversy to the point that it’s now requiring government intervention, we feel it’s our duty to help you get a general understanding of the situation.
So, why is there a necessity to regulate loot boxes other than the fact that (especially older) gamers hate them? In the case of some regions, it’s because they’re considered as a form of gambling based on their laws. When it comes to video games in general, the argument can be made that they require skill, and not chance like playing the lottery or getting a royal flush in poker. However, with the concept of loot boxes that can give you some awesome weapon or other piece of equipment, it becomes more of a game of chance as opposed to skill, and that fits the category of pre-existing gambling laws of whatever nation, state, or territory.
Going back to why Senator Hawley wants to regulate loot boxes, he feels that video game companies shouldn’t encourage video game addiction and make further profits off of it, especially as it pertains to children.
Where are Loot Boxes Banned?
Though the EU as a whole has determined that they don’t consider loot boxes as a form of gambling, just like in the US (where gambling is not definitively illegal as a whole), each state still has their own respective sovereignty in regulating gambling (for example, gambling is illegal in New York, but still legal in the neighboring state of New Jersey), each country in the EU still has the authority to sanction gambling within its own borders. So in turn, where is gambling banned in and out of the EU? Gambling is banned in Belgium and Holland, but tightly regulated in South Korea and China, all for gambling related reasons. South Korea is ok with loot boxes, but their industry wants companies to disclaim the probabilities of its in-game prizes to determine whether or not upon releasing it. As it pertains to China, Blizzard with Overwatch has found ways around the law by still allowing players to purchase in-game currency and with that currency, they can buy loot boxes since it is not bought with real life currency.
There have been rumors floating around on the net that loot boxes are banned in Japan, but it’s not true. While some nations view them as gambling, and while gambling is illegal in Japan, it’s illegal under the conditions that it’s for money or anything of monetary values such a car or house. Like in pachinko where you trade your pachinko balls for non-monetary prizes (such as cup ramen, soap, and shampoo), loot boxes are also not monetary in terms of rewards so in that sense, loot boxes are legal in Japan. Australia’s government has determined loot boxes to be psychologically similar to gambling under their studies and has encouraged the industry to put a warning label.
Final Thoughts (Education Vs. Legislation)
Naturally EA has challenged Belgium’s ban under the claims it’s not gambling as that nation’s respective courts are investigating whether or not EA has been in engaging in illegal activity. 2K has encouraged Belgian gamers to contact their local authorities in regards to the legality of the in-game purchases of their respective software. While we aren’t here to endorse any nation’s or territory’s present course of action in regards to loot boxes, all we can encourage, especially of those who are under 18 or have children under the age of 18 is to be responsible. For those of you minors who are reading, please talk to your parents or legal guardians. For parents, in addition to talking to your children, try to make sure they have NO access to your credit card before purchasing any software if it includes such content. At the end of the day, while legislation is there to make sure things don’t happen, proper education can help everyone of all ages in making the right decision and enjoy gaming in moderation.


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Dutch company, The Gift Label, have produced a range of soap and lotions, with labels on featuring phrases such as ‘You Look Damn Good’. Is this just cute marketing, or could there be something more to it?I don’t know if you remember Dove’s great viral marketing campaign, about beauty patches? Women were given patches to wear, and they were told that they would make them more beautiful. The women record video diaries, to let the researchers know how their self-image is changing, then at the end, it’s revealed to all of them, that the patches are placebos and that they’ve always been as beautiful with the patches as without.
It’s unlikely that the placebo patches, caused any physical changes to the women to make them more beautiful, but it is possible that they may have caused more ‘feel-good’ chemicals to be released in the brain, causing them to have a more positive outlook. Some of the strongest placebo effects are observed in the treatment of mental health problems, but perhaps we could all do, with having improving our own self-image and perhaps placebos could help us achieve that.
To return again to the positive hand soap from The Gift Label, writing a label with such an overt positive message is mildly pleasing. It’s the sort of thing that would make you smile the first time you saw it, and then after a while, it would blend into the background of every day life. But what if people genuinely believed that this could make them feel better, not just give them a compliment? Studies have found that when the placebo effect is explained to people, they can respond to open-label placebos. So maybe it’s time to consider how we could support our own mental and physical health through every-day placebos – even it it just made us feel a little better about life, it could be worth it.


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XMOS sees key $26m investment
July 21, 2014 // Nick Flaherty
UK chip designer XMOS has raised $26.2m (€19.2m) from three global chip partners in one of the largest silicon investments this year.
The Series D investment from Robert Bosch, Huawei and Xilinx Technology Ventures is to accelerate development of the next generation low latency, deterministic multicore processor products.
"There's not many chip companies getting funded here or in the US so that is quite a standout event in itself," said Nigel Toon, CEO of Bristol-based XMOS.
The deal includes investment from Europe, the US and China. "Huawei is an interesting partner," said Toon. "They are focussed on investing in Europe which is a small part of the reason but they are the number three supplier in smart phones and interested in the whole extension of that into the Internet of Things, so there are quite a few overlap areas. And a partnership with a company like that in China is tremendous."The XMOS technology fits well with Bosch in automotive, industrial and consumer, says Toon, and Hongquan Jiang, Investment Principle at Robert Bosch Venture Capital, will join the XMOS board. “XMOS is one of the most exciting young semiconductor companies around today and we see a huge potential for their intelligent multicore technology in various sectors of our parent company,” said Jiang.
The third leg of the investment is FPGA vendor Xilinx. “There's nothing explicit with Xilinx but we are both programmable companies, we are lower power, they are heavily focussed on infrastructure so there's a lot of overlap in our general interests,” said Toon, who used to work for arch-competitor Altera. “We have some common distributors so we can benefit from that.”
The three join existing investors Amadeus Capital Partners, DFJ Esprit, and Foundation Capital.
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InterviewInfineon: CAN FD success goes at the expense of FlexRay
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In this month's reader offer, Analog Devices is giving away five Blackfin Low-Power Imaging Platform (BLIP) Development Systems (ADZS-BF707-BLIP2), worth 199 dollars each, for EETimes Europe's readers to win.
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GOT7‘s Jinyoung wows with a new update.
On July 12, Jinyoung posted two new photos on Instagram with the caption, “200712.” In the pictures, the singer wears black glasses and white clothes. He immediately won the hearts of fans with his stunning visual and innocence.
Fans left many positive comments such as, “Handsome,” “Jinyoung these photos are so beautiful,” “Always support you,” “Handsome fashion icon,” and “You are so amazing.”
Meanwhile, Jinyoung met fans with a new video call on July 12.


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According to the vendors, they are unable to import sweet plantains from the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC because of the border closure due to the corona pandemic.
Women preparing gonja at Namawojjolo roadside market in Mukono district.
Vendors of sweet plantains alias Gonja at Namawojjolo
roadside market along Kampala-Jinja highway in Mukono district have started
closing stalls due to lack of supply.
According to the vendors, they are unable to import sweet plantains from the Democratic Republic of
Congo-DRC because of the border closure due to the corona pandemic.
Vendors in Najjembe and Lukaya markets in Buikwe
and Lukaya districts respectively are equally affected.
Annet Namuyomba, one of
the vendors at Namawojjolo roadside market is worried of how she will take care
of her family now that she is out of business.
She also says the absence of sweet plantains
affects all vendors including those selling roasted beef, chicken and juice.
//Cue in: “Era bwetuba tetukoze…
Cue out: …tetukyalimu abagonja”//
Mary Kyolaba, another vendor notes that they sustain their
businesses through loans, which they have failed to pay off.
//Cue in: “Abamu twewola sente…
Cue out: …tetulina wetulima”//
Badru Mwesezi, the representative of sweet plantain dealers
at Najjembe reveals that majority of the vendors have closed.
“We have remained
with few vendors who had bought produce in plenty but once they also run out,
this business will completely close,” Mwesezi said.
John Bosco Matovu, the Chairperson Lukaya Roadside market
says the situation isn’t any different at his market.
“The shortage of sweet
plantains is already enough to force vendors to stay in their homes the only
challenge is that from these little businesses they have been able get daily
bread,” Matovu said.


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Motorola Mobility (NYSE:MMI) is the target of an investigation by the EU launched by assertions by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) that Motorola charges unfairly for the use of its patents. The inquiry will in particular examine whether Motorola has “failed to honor its irrevocable commitments” over internet protocol it has said is essential for “standard-compliant products.”
Reveling in the overall auto sector recovery, AutoNation (NYSE:AN) posts a 15 percent year-to-year increase in new vehicle sales in March to 25,489. The figures reflect double-digit increases across all segments.
Food and condiment producer Annie’s (BNNY) went public last week, and shares soared. Monday night on his show Mad Money, Jim Cramer praised the company as still being cheaper than its competitor Hain Celestial (NASDAQ:HAIN), and also commented that Annie’s shares should be boosted by its quiet period coming to an end, with encouraging analysts’ pronouncements beginning.
Investing Insights: Burger King’s Strategy to Retake the Throne.
One burger battle at a time will win the war, Burger King apparently believes, as it targets Wendy’s (NYSE:WEN) this week with its largest menu expansion ever, containing ten new items. Although most of the new offerings closely resemble existing items on McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) menu, BK is challenging Wendy’s first, since it passed it for number two in the sector. McDonald’s is atop the burger market share race, and Burger King will take it on after disposing of Wendy’s.
AT&T (NYSE:T) could face a strike by about 40,000 wireline operations employees on Sunday, if a new contract with the CWA union can’t be obtained by Saturday. Verizon saw the same situation in August with the CWA, and those parties have not yet come to an agreement.
Lowe’s (NYSE:LOW) wants its customers back from Home Depot (NYSE:HD), and is ‘pulling out all the stops’ to do so. The home improvement major has been bested for eleven straight quarters by Home Depot in same-store growth, and its new strategy to reverse the trend includes e-commerce, and assertive growth in Canada. CFO Robert Hull remarks that e-commerce alone could boost sales by 5 to 10 percent within 5 years.
Don’t Miss: New Competitor Tries to Flank Wal-Mart.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Lawson at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Damien Hoffman at email@example.com


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The Berkshire real estate market continues to record high buyer demand and a lack of inventory. The spring market is always busy and the future of a steady market depends upon new homes entering the market for sale. Those who own underused homes may see this as a prime time to sell. In February, the number of new listings put on the market fell from previous years, and the active inventory count of residential homes for sale is 42% lower than last year. There is a slight increase in the number of pending listings at the close of February, up 2.6%. The dollar volume of sales under contract in February is noticeably higher, jumping from $46 million to $102 million. Closed sales so far this year were up 5.5% with 174 homes sold and valued at over $68 million dollars. The dollar volume of sold transactions in February soared to over $27.8 million dollars, an increase of 94%, from $14 million in February of 2020. Understandably median sales prices continue to climb, now reporting a countrywide average of $266,387, up from $215,112 last year. Here is the full PDF report for Residential Sales February 2021 in Berkshire County.
In northern Berkshire, there continues to be a severe inventory shortage of residential homes available for sale. With only 44 homes on the market compared to 117 last year, pending and sales are reflecting that shortage. Pending sales going into March fell 28% from the rates in 2020, with unmet demand due to lack of inventory. The pending sales dollar volume also retracted, down 19.7% in February due to the lack of homes under contract, with $10 million under agreement compared to $12 million under agreement last year. Closed sales volume was consistent, with a bit over $2 million dollars transacted. The median sales price has tracked higher as well, jumping 36% from $151,513 to $205,722 this year. PDF Report North Berkshire Residential Sales February 2021
Central Berkshire residential inventory is the lowest in the County with 1.3 months of homes available for sale. A balanced market is approximately 7 months of inventory to satisfy buyer demand. Going into March, there is a 26% decrease in the number of homes under contract, with 45 sales pending at the end of February 2021, compared to 61 during the same month last year. Closed sales in the central region was the same pace of 31 homes sold during the month, but dollar volume jumped $7.6 million compared to $5 million. The median sale price continues to rise up from $213,172 to $200,320. PDF Report Central Berkshire Residential Sales February 2021
The inventory of residential homes for sale in southern Berkshire is at historically low levels. There is 3.5 months of inventory available in February 2021 compared to 9 months of inventory last year. Pending sales continue to surge in the southern region, up 67% in February with 55 residential homes currently under contract compared to 33 last year. The jump in the dollar volume of these pending sales is also significant, now tracking at over $64 million dollars compared to $18 million last year. Sales in February roe slightly from 21 homes sold up to 26 homes sold this February, though dollar volume jumped from $7 millions to over $17 million dollars in sales. Median sale price rose slightly, to $430,355. PDF Report South Berkshire Residential Sales February 2021
Condo sales are tracking the same market dynamics as residential homes are, with a lack of inventory an increase in sales and an increase in those condos under agreement at the end of January. Closed sales were down due to unmet demand and the median sales price retracted to $295,500. Full Condo Report February 2021


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After several weeks of releasing bits of information about its new-generation smartphone, LG today officially unveiled the Velvet in South Korea. The device is priced at around ₩899,800 or around $700 (via Engadget).
As the company confirmed last month, the LG Velvet is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765 SoC. Also, onboard the device is 8GB of RAM paired with 128GB of internal storage that's expandable via a microSD card slot. It sports a 6.8-inch POLED FullHD+ display with a waterdrop notch for the 16MP front camera and an aspect ratio of 20.5:9. On the back, it rocks a triple camera setup with a raindrop style arrangement, compromising a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra wide-angle camera, and a 5MP depth sensor.
Inside, it packs a 4,300mAh battery with support for both fast and wireless charging. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack and runs Android 10 with LG's user interface on top. The phone is also expected to roll out in other territories in the near future, but the South Korean electronics giant has yet to confirm a release date and global pricing.


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New York's Cuomo says businesses can block people not wearing masks
By Wang Tianyu
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order on Thursday authorizing businesses to block anyone who does not wear a mask or face covering, stressing the importance of wearing masks and social distancing to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"I've been working to communicate this message about masks and how effective they are," said the Governor in a daily briefing, iterating masks are "deceptively" and "amazingly" effective.
"We're giving the store owners the right to say if you're not wearing a mask, you can't come in. That store owner has a right to protect themselves, that store owner has a right to protect the other patrons in that store," Cuomo told the press.
Cuomo announced 1,768 new cases were confirmed in New York State on Thursday, bringing the statewide total to 366,733.


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Buckingham Palace is considering whether it should take action after the King and Princess of Wales were named in the Dutch version of a new book as senior royals who questioned what skin colour Prince Archie would have. The writer said an investigation had been launched into how the names were included in the translated version of Endgame, which Dutch publisher, Xander Uitgevers, said had been pulled from shelves in the Netherlands due to an "error".
Henry Nicholls/ReutersThe British royal family is reportedly taking legal advice after Piers Morgan named the two so-called “royal racists” on his Talk TV show in Britain on Wednesday night. Buckingham Palace is “considering all options,” including taking legal action, the Mirror reported after Morgan said the names of the two senior royals that had featured in the Dutch version of Endgame, Omid Scobie’s new book. The names appeared in a section about who had discussed the skin color of Meghan M


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MIAMI — December 6, 2023 — Informa Markets Fashion — organizer of wholesale fashion events across the United States including MAGIC, PROJECT, COTERIE and Sourcing at MAGIC — is gearing up for the first MAGIC Miami, an immediates-focused women’s market regional event showcasing a vast selection of trend, young contemporary, modern sportswear, footwear, accessories, home, gift and beauty brands. The event will take place January 8-9, 2024, at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
This show opens the opportunity to explore the latest trends, place orders outside of the standard purchasing season and connect with key industry players in an international winter travel destination. Exhibitors and attendees will have the chance to work and play in a city renowned for its commerce, culture, fashion, sandy beaches and year-round sunshine. With iconic events such as Miami Swim Week, Art Basel and Miami Fashion Week, coupled with its status as the gateway to Latin America, Miami is quickly becoming an international art and cultural capital with a vibrant arts scene.
“Highlighting local brands and retailers that are contributing to Miami’s booming business ecosystem is so important for us,” says Jordan Rudow, vice president of MAGIC. “The southeast is a key region for both retail and fashion brands looking to expand into regional markets.”
Notable local retailers in attendance include Forema Boutique, Island Style Resort Wear at The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, Prinzzesa Boutique and Mario Pucci, among others. Exhibiting brands include ASTR the Label, Sam Edelman, and Miami-based footwear brands Maker’s Shoes and Carrano USA.
For the latest information follow @magicfashionevents and register to attend as a retailer or as a member of the press at www.magicfashionevents.com
Posted: December 6, 2023
Source: Informa Markets Fashion


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Mandarin Oriental has announced plans for its second Greek property and the first in the country’s capital Athens.
The 123-room hotel will be situated within The Ellinikon – an $8 billion urban regeneration project on the site of the city’s former Hellenikon International airport.
The shoreline Mandarin Oriental, Athens is scheduled to open in 2027, and will also offer 17 branded Residences, including waterfront villas and apartments.
There are few details about the hotel’s facilities at present, but the group confirmed that the property would offer “several food and beverage outlets”, as well as a spa and indoor and outdoor event space.
It will be the second Mandarin Oriental hotel in Greece, joining Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, which is set to open this summer on the southwest coast of the country’s Peloponnese.
The Ellinikon project comprises around 360 hectares of mixed use space south of Athens city centre, formerly home to Hellenikon International airport until it closed in 2001 following the opening of Athens International airport.
Features are set to include Europe’s largest urban park, as well as residential, retail and office space, a marina, and a Hard Rock hotel and casino.
Commenting on the news James Riley, group chief executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, said:
“We are delighted to be working with TEMES SA and Lamda Development SA on this project. I am confident, that with this location and our legendary service, Mandarin Oriental, Athens will be the leading luxury hospitality hub for both travellers and Athenian residents.”


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Sunday, March 17, 2013
Air Jordan 5 Retro "Black Grape" First Official Images
This weekend has been full of sneaker previews and exclusives. One of the biggest shoes to show their 2013 look are the Air Jordan 5 Retro "Black Grape" set debut in the 2013 holiday season. Contrary to the first photoshopped images that released earlier this year, the 2013 model features a black nubuck base. There's no official release date yet, but check out the images below and keep it locked to FollowTheKicks for more sneaker news and updates.


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Lease penetration remains high in new-car market
An environment where leases account for 30 percent of new-vehicle sales (give or take) may be the new normal.
While there is not likely to be another major increase, lease penetration isn’t likely to “drop off any time soon,” says Eric Lyman, ALG’s chief industry analyst.
The firm spotted 32-percent lease penetration earlier this year, and anticipates numbers from this past month to come around 30 percent, based on seasonality in prior years.
Lease penetration rates have been north of 30 percent in 12 of the last 16 months, according to data shared by Edmunds (should current projections for April hold). As of Monday morning, Edmunds was forecasting April’s lease penetration rate at 30.2 percent, a preliminary figure the company said will be finalized later this week.
“Leasing is clearly here to stay,” Lyman said in an interview last month. “We’ve seen a massive increase in the lease penetration rate. We expect that trend to continue.”
And that is a positive for the car business, he said, provided the back-end process is managed well. Leasing can mean a faster turn rate and a younger vehicle fleet, Lyman said. He also argues that from a safety standpoint, lowering the average age could be beneficial.
“Ultimately, a higher lease penetration increases velocity, which can support higher sales volume over the long term. And as long as we can manage it on the back end,” Lyman said. “The U.S. vehicle fleet or the car park is at a historical all-time high with (cars) almost 12 years old, so if we can get a higher turnover of vehicles on the new-car side and that facilitates bringing that back down to maybe a number that’s more in line with long-term averages, that’s not such a bad thing either.”
OEMs pulling back?
Not everyone shares this assessment. In a quarterly earnings conference call, Sonic Automotive executive Jeff Dyke said he has seen some automakers pull back, pushing for more traditional sales rather than leases.
“And I think it’s because of all the cars coming off lease and the residual values that they’re seeing. So, their finance companies are making the operating companies do things that maybe they don’t want to do right now,” Dyke said. “If anything, I’m not seeing a huge push to lease; I’m seeing the opposite of that.”
As a member of a few dealer boards, Dyke said that there have been discussions around trying to balance a decrease in leasing and a lift in traditional sales, all while maintaining margins and volumes — and trying to remain competitive.
“I think it’s a conundrum right now and it’s something that we’re going to have to work on as we move forward this year,” he said.
As alluded to in an analyst’s question and confirmed by Dyke, one challenge to decreasing leasing is the disparity between lease and finance monthly payments, which can be a struggle to get a consumer to look past.
“There’s a huge gap,” Dyke said. “And you’re not going to be competitive with vehicles that have $100-, $150-, $75-more-a month monthly payment in a straight buy versus a lease. So it’s an issue, an issue we’re going to have to deal with. They’re going to have to meet more in the middle.
“The cost is going to have to come down and the lease residual value is going to have to go up,” so they don’t get hit hard when the term ends, he said.
Dyke added, “But something’s going to have to change, or we’re going to sell a lot less cars.”
But, used-car sales could climb, Dyke confirmed to the analyst, something he said the retailer has long predicted.
Appeal to younger generation
As the concept of auto ownership continues to evolve in the era of Uber and the development of self-driving cars, leasing appears to be striking a chord with millennials.
ALG has observed Generation Y “over-index on leasing,” Lyman said.
“This is a generation that’s more comfortable with the concept of use as you go, or sort of pseudo-ownership of things that they rely on for living life day-to-day” including everything from cell phones to models like Rent the Runway or Blue Apron, he said.
It’s a matter of convenience and experience, and leasing is along similar lines, he said.
Of course, there’s the viewpoint that paying for an asset you don’t own isn’t particularly wise, Lyman said. But then there is the counter-argument.
“I think the current generation views things as, ‘I can use this thing, while it’s under warranty. I can rest assured that if there’s any issues, it’s going to be taken care of. It’s actually less of a burden on my monthly cash flow, and you know, so what if it’s not ‘mine’? It effectively is mine. I can use it when I want, I can do with it what I want within reason that supports my normal life, and then in three years, boom, I can move on,’” he said.
“This is a generation that’s used to the idea of disposable goods, and I think leasing is just a bigger example how they view a lot of the things that they ‘own’ and use,” he said. “Who cares if it’s a $35,000-40,000 asset? I’m paying $250 a month, which is not unreasonable in terms of what I’m getting in terms of value and need a car for, and in three years, I can get a new one.”


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There's a lot of power in the tech scene. There are no patent disputes that take place in secret. These are power struggles that the user will feel. This time in the ring: Amazon and Google. Two competing companies that are not afraid to deal blows that really hurt their opponents. Effect hits, directly on the customer.
The current round is about the YouTube app. Google has tons of things in the licensing terms, which ensure that you always and everywhere have the sovereignty over the service.
And now YouTube flies off the Echo Show and worse: the Amazon.
The streaming solution that is certainly among the most popular and best-selling in the world. And this solution takes Google to January 1, 2018 YouTube. The video service par excellence. That really hurts and somehow you can not make a winner there.
Warning messages will also be displayed on German Fire TV solutions as of 6/12/17: As of January 1, 2018, YouTube will no longer be available on this device. But there are many other ways to watch your favorite creators and videos.
Viewers lose a video service. Video makers lose revenue and their viewers. Google loses revenue and viewers. Amazon may lose Fire TV customers. And neither of the two companies took the trouble to really introduce themselves to the customer. To apologize for the circumstances. To explain oneself. That's disappointing.
A showdown of this kind has been more frequent. So you just remember 2015. Since Amazon removed theand the from the range. With Apple, it has been agreed, the Apple TV is available on Amazon and the Prime Video App can be found after an agreement in 2017 on the Apple TV.
And also with Google, there were always quarrels. Remember the times when you had to laboriously load the Prime Video app through the Amazon App Store – which you could only get via Sideload – thanks to Google's rules for the Android system and the desire of Amazon, its own app Store known. On the other hand, Amazon then renounced the sale of hardware from Nest, a Google company and support for Chromecast features by Amazon apps is only given at Amazon Music.
Let's hope that the companies agree. In favor of us, the customer. Because it's not just about money, but about trust in a provider.


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Former VivaKi chief Marco Bertozzi has been tapped to unify Publicis Groupe-owned media agency Starcom MediaVest Group’s global performance marketing services into one practice.
Bertozzi has been appointed to the newly created role of global CEO of Performance Marketing at SMG. In his new role, he is responsible for uniting the agency’s global social, search, programmatic capabilities into one performance marketing practice.
The idea will be to draw on SMG’s current resources from existing brands such as content agencies Liquid Thread and MRY, and work alongside the VivaKi Operating System. His first duty will be to spot infrastructure gaps at agency outposts around the world where new performance capabilities — particularly across search, social and programmatic marketing — can be implemented.
“We have an opportunity with the new data sets and technologies that have come to market, to create a performance offering of the future which focuses on the idea of the universal view of customer, with a foundation of attribution and data that measures well beyond the click to offline sales,” said Bertozzi.
Business growth can no longer be measured in clicks and online sales alone, he added. “Where a customer wants to engage from calls to retail we have to pull that together and move away from last click, sweating each channel in isolation.” The aim is for the new performance proposition to do just that, tying in closely with the wider agency.
During his Publicis tenure Bertozzi oversaw several product innovations including AOD Premium, the first premium programmatic offering for online advertisers. In his new role he’ll report to SMG president of global operations John Sheehy. SMG is ranked as the biggest media agency, with global billings estimated at $43.3 billion for 2014, according to Recma Billings.
“There are opportunities for new business in almost every market. I envisage it as a big jigsaw with pieces missing all over the place, and it will be my role to put all the missing pieces back in and raise the overall capability or products,” he said.
Bertozzi has been the face of Publicis Groupe’s programmatic arm VivaKi in the U.K. and EMEA, having spent the last five years expanding its addressable media-buying practice Audience on Demand to 17 markets in those regions.
In the last few years, programmatic has become a more mainstream method of trading media. But it has also fostered distrust among advertisers, some of which have gone to some lengths to take control of this part of their media operations. Procter & Gamble and Unilever, for example, have asserted control over their programmatic media buying, choosing their own tech and taking a lot of the skill sets in-house.
Publicis Groupe was the first to buck the traditional trading desk model, moving the planning and activations teams from VivaKi into the rest of the group’s agencies. All account management for any programmatic campaigns now come under the remits of the individual agencies, while the core data and technology remains in the VivaKi Operating System. which acts as a hub and spoke model conveying IP, tools and tech across the Groupe. SMG also invested in demand-side platform Run last year, to further boost its programmatic capabilities. Run now sits within VivaKi OS.
“The programmatic landscape has encouraged a whole raft of specialist and channel-specific agencies, and competition is rife when it comes to tech companies all in this space now,” said Bertozzi. “It’s important that as big a network as we are, we demonstrate we have real specialisms in these kinds of topics. So that extra focus on performance marketing will help when up against those kinds of companies.”
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Advertisers on TikTok need to follow a few best practices if they're going to succeed on the platform, such as always thinking vertically, and being comfortable with the creator's style they work with.


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The chain used a flexible business model to draw shoppers. When brands produced too much clothing or department stores canceled orders, TJX swooped in to buy the extra inventory and sell it on the cheap. That approach allowed it to constantly rotate in a new lineup of brands and styles on the shelves to draw shoppers to its no-frill stores. … [Read more...] about This incredibly popular store is one of the hardest to socially distance in
Authorised online brand store
However, the companies agreed to terminate the sale after L Brands was forced to impose furloughs and mass store closures in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Ending the agreement also avoided a lawsuit by Sycamore Partners, which had accused L Brands of breach of contract. … [Read more...] about Victoria’s Secret Closing 250 Stores: What’s Near Beverly Hills?
8:45 a.m. Nancy Pelosi has not been tested for coronavirus: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, has not been tested for coronavirus or for antibodies, she told reporters Thursday morning. After she was in the same room in March as a colleague from New York who tested positive, Rep. Nidya Velásquez, Pelosi asked a physician if she should get a test but was told it wasn’t necessary because she had no symptoms. “The doctor says, ‘No, you don’t need to and you’d be putting yourself ahead of other people in line,’” Pelosi said. … [Read more...] about Coronavirus live updates: Apple’s Genius help, store pickups return in Bay Area
"We deeply value our associates, customers, business partners and the communities in which we operate, and this is not the outcome we expected or hoped to achieve. This decision follows months of working to identify a buyer who would continue to operate our business going forward. Unfortunately, the challenging retail environment has been significantly compounded by the profound impact of COVID-19, hindering our ability to secure such a buyer and requiring us to wind down." … [Read more...] about Pier 1 To Permanently Close All Stores, Including Oceanside Store
As we aim to embrace our new reality, society is looking for alternative means to achieve some sense of normalcy. Whether it be video conferencing in a work environment, distance learning for students, or more phone calls instead of face-to-face interactions, in so many ways we have leaned on technology to fill the gap of physical presence. … [Read more...] about Rob Cheng: All online voting for 2020 election? A security nightmare. Here’s why


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Editor’s Note: This list was last updated on 4/5/17 and is being republished on 8/21/17 to coincide with the Vive price drop. A big new update is coming soon to [...]
Fantastic Contraption’s developers are part of an exclusive group of VR creators who have successfully generated in excess of $1 million.
The creative puzzler [...]
It’s not the biggest week ever for PSVR but there’s definitely content worth checking out. We’ve got a short new horror experience and a port of one of [...]
Coming off the back of a great E3, PlayStation VR (PSVR) is set to have a big month with some anticipated new releases. The first of those releases hits next [...]
It might be Vive’s birthday, but owners of the headset are getting the presents. HTC today launched its Viveport Subscription service, allowing players to choose five [...]
Creative platforms across the board have become mainstays in the virtual reality ecosystem and stand as some the most straightforward ways to get an understanding of how [...]


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There's good news and bad. First, the good. According to Microsoft
CEO Steve Ballmer, his company is selling "four times" as many Windows Phone handsets as this time last year, and he's attributing that in large part to Windows Phone 8 being available across three of America's four largest carriers. But here's the bad news: no one outside of Microsoft truly knows what that means. It's impossible to really put a target on something so vague, and given that Microsoft isn't telling how many WP7 products it sold during the holidays last year, there's no true way to compare.
Ballmer, speaking this week at a shareholder meeting, said: "Windows Phone 8 has been on sale for a few weeks and is off to a great start." But of course, cheer-leading is to be expected. The only other major product in Microsoft's portfolio where it has been intentionally vague on numbers is the Surface, which most reports believe hasn't done too well compared to the iPad. Research groups that track mobile market share have pegged Windows Phone at around five percent in recent quarters, but it'll be interesting to see if WP8 enables it to gain any ground.
The OS may be pretty, but the ecosystem is bare and the app marketplace is still largely a ghost town. It most certainly won't be an easy road to #2 or #3.


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EDDIE Stobart is to have new owners at the wheel after Britain’s best-known trucking business was sold to investors in a deal worth £280m.
The business, which employs around 5,000 people and operates 2,300 vehicles, will be led by the founder’s youngest son, William Stobart.
Stobart Group, which is retaining a 49 per cent stake in the company as well as the rights to the Eddie Stobart name, said the sale will enable it to almost wipe out debt and focus on its operations in the energy, air and rail markets.
Members of the investment group behind the takeover have previous experience of the sector through their former ownership of UK logistics firm TDG. It was sold to Norbert Dentressangle in 2010.
Stobart will receive £195.6m for the Eddie Stobart operation, as well as shares worth £44.1m in the new venture.
The Eddie Stobart business, which was the subject of a television series on Channel 5, counts Tesco among its major customers.
Stobart will use some of the proceeds to invest in waste wood and anaerobic digestion electricity generating plants through a new green energy business.
Chairman Iain Ferguson said: “This transaction represents an important step in the realisation of value for shareholders.
“We have found a strong partner to take Eddie Stobart Logistics to the next stage of its development, increasing the scope of the powerful Eddie Stobart brand and allowing the group to focus on its infrastructure and support services divisions.
“These proposals allow us to repay debt, make a return of capital to shareholders, stimulate the growth of our biomass business and bring the group’s businesses together in a coherent, medium-term value creation plan.”
William Stobart said: “We already have an extremely loyal customer base who we look forward to continuing to work with. It is an exciting time for us to grow this business and I am looking forward to this next stage and the opportunities that it will bring for our employees and customers.”
The business can trace its roots back to the 1960s, when its founder went into business as an agricultural contractor in the Lake District.
Eddie Stobart’s son, Edward, shifted the company’s focus towards road transport and warehousing.
The business expanded significantly in the 1980s and 1990s, opening depots across the UK.
In 2009, the Stobart Group entered the FTSE 250.
In the same year, Carlisle Lake District Airport was acquired, with the aim of providing a new Northern base for the business, and extending the group’s interests into airport service.
It also launched its first international rail freight service operating between Valencia and the UK.


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Education & Careers
Oh My Word
Year Ender 2020
You Searched For "Exports"
1 Jan 2021 7:49 AM GMT
Government extends benefit of RoDTEP scheme to all export goods to boost export from today
20 Dec 2020 6:13 PM GMT
Vijayawada: Toymakers advised to tap foreign markets for exports
9 Dec 2020 7:32 PM GMT
APSEZ Achutapuram achieves 24% export growth
Domestic and export demand for turmeric on consistent rise during ...
29 Nov 2020 5:36 PM GMT
India exports 11 million smartphones in Jan-Sep period: Report
23 Nov 2020 11:06 AM GMT
Exports dip 5.4% as engineering shipments fall
3 Nov 2020 9:02 PM GMT
Visakhapatnam: UAC approves projects to boost exports, employment
28 Oct 2020 6:18 PM GMT
Hidden dangers of trade surplus
4 Oct 2020 7:04 PM GMT
SAIL records highest-ever monthly sales and exports of 12.77 lakh ...
5 July 2020 3:19 PM GMT
Exports plunge 36% in May due to Covid
15 Jun 2020 8:18 PM GMT
Nellore: Export of aqua products gains momentum as govt lifts...
8 Jun 2020 8:57 PM GMT
FIEO expects 20% fall in exports
19 May 2020 6:08 PM GMT
Chemicals & Petrochemicals industry becomes top exporting sector...
26 April 2020 3:25 AM GMT
Exports dip by 34% in March Total shipment at 314 billion dollars ...
15 April 2020 5:14 PM GMT
Exports contract for 6th straight month
14 Feb 2020 6:01 PM GMT
Focusing on key sectors to boost exports: Goyal
13 Feb 2020 6:52 PM GMT
Truth masked under US-china trade deal
23 Jan 2020 9:39 PM GMT
Exports to rebound in 2020 but growth to remain subdued
28 Dec 2019 10:42 AM GMT
TCS shares drop 4 per cent after Q2 results
11 Oct 2019 7:31 AM GMT
Centre bans export of onions
29 Sep 2019 9:21 PM GMT
Corporate tax cut to boost Indian economy
21 Sep 2019 7:35 PM GMT
Steel Industry will overcome present crisis: RINL Chairman and...
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Exports dip 9.71% in June after gap of eight months
15 July 2019 4:30 PM GMT
ComMin's meet on boosting exports on Jun 6
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Exports growth slides to 4-month low in April
15 May 2019 5:53 PM GMT
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Economic growth may have slowed in 2018-19: Finance Ministry
3 May 2019 6:32 PM GMT
25 US lawmakers urge Trump admin not to cancel GSP trade benefits ...
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Amazon's India unit sees 56 percent rise in export merchants
30 April 2019 11:54 AM GMT
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1 March 2019 12:00 AM GMT
More From The Hans India


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Three new traders have appeared on the NSW Fair Trading Complaints Register for the first time after receiving 10 or more complaints for the calendar month of July.
Two of the new entrants for the month include online sportswear retailer Revolv Athletic and Elite Blinds and Shutters Pty Ltd which both received 10 complaints about the supply of goods.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rose Webb said under the Australian Consumer Law it is an offence for a business to accept payment for goods and not supply them or supply something different.
The July Complaints Register also saw self-storage company Rent a Space in Brookvale appear for the first time after receiving 11 complaints from consumers about loss or damage to their property.
A total of 22 businesses are included in July’s Register with 335 complaints from their customers between them.
With several online businesses appearing on the register, including Revolv Athletic, Grays Online and eBay, Fair Trading is reminding consumers to make informed decisions when shopping online.
“In a recently commissioned market research survey, one in five people did not know they have the same rights when buying online as they do when shopping in store,’ Ms Webb said.
“Almost 40% of people surveyed had experienced problems when shopping online, which is why it is vital that shoppers review the trader’s website prior to placing an order.”
Fair Trading’s advice to consumers when shopping online is to carefully read the expected delivery times, refund and returns policy and terms and conditions before purchasing.
Once again, the July Register saw a number of electrical appliance retailers included on the list with Apple, Harvey Norman, Samsung Electronics, Kogan and the Good Guys receiving between 19 and 36 complaints each.
Automotive and travel was another dominant area for complaints this month, with Ford Motor Australia, Volkswagen Group, Sutton Motors, GM Holden, Mazda Australia, Qantas and Jetstar all appearing.
Consumers experiencing difficulties with a trader should try to resolve the matter directly. If unable to resolve a dispute, consumers should lodge a formal complaint with Fair Trading via the website www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au, or by calling 13 32 20.


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The cruise ship business, which has been a growing feature of the New Orleans tourism sector, now looks less likely to return until at least the end of the year as some operators extend their sailing hiatus into the autumn.
On Monday, Carnival Cruise Line said that Valor, one of the two ships based in New Orleans, will not resume sailing until November at the earliest.
As with other cruise line operators, Carnival has been extending delays to sailings on a rolling basis to reflect the latest expectations in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. The last time either Valor or Glory, the two New Orleans-based vessels, sailed with holidaymakers aboard was last March, reflecting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s rolling “no sail” order for ships carrying 250 or more passengers.
Disney Cruise Line’s Wonder, which sailed from New Orleans in February, 2020, for the first time, has canceled sailings until at least the end of July. Norwegian Cruise Line said its Norwegian Breakaway will not sail again from New Orleans until at least May.
Cruise ship operators had a number of COVID-19 outbreaks in the early months of the pandemic, including high-profile instances where passengers were held aboard for extended periods of time.
The cruise operators now say they intend to proceed cautiously even after the “no sail” orders have been lifted.
“We will resume service when the time is right, taking a gradual, phased-in approach with select ships,” said Vance Gulliksen, a Carnival spokesman.
Carnival’s two New Orleans-based ships have passenger capacity of about 3,000 each, with another 1,200 crew on each ship. The company accounted for 80% of the record 1.18 million passengers coming and going through the Port of New Orleans for cruise ship travel in 2019.
The moratorium on sailings has been a big economic loss for the city. The Port of New Orleans directly earned $14 million in fees from the ships in 2019, while direct spending by passengers was $110 million.
“In addition to the passenger loss, we miss the thousands of cruise line crew members,” said Kelly Schulz, a spokesperson for New Orleans & Co., which estimates that cruise visitors spend at least one night on average in a city hotel when they come and go.
The cruise industry is estimated to account for about 7% of the city’s hotel bookings and account for around $250 million of total economic impact when including other spending, according to a 2018 study by LSU economists.
The loss is reflected in hotel occupancy numbers, which show that New Orleans is suffering significantly more than the broader U.S. hotel market. The hotel occupancy rate for greater New Orleans in the week ended Jan 16 was down 74% year-on-year at 31%, compared to a 59% drop to 40% for the U.S. as a whole, according to data from STR, which tracks the hotel industry.
The rates for hotel rooms also have dropped precipitously, so that New Orleans revenue per available room was down 80%, compared to 54% for the U.S.
The cruise ship industry is hoping for a strong bounce back next year.
Carnival’s CEO, Arnold Donald, told shareholders earlier this month that the company had pared costs to the bone and moved up ship dry dock schedules this year. But he added that passenger bookings for the first half of 2022 were running ahead of bookings for the first half of 2019, reflecting pent-up demand for cruising.
Schulz said their data shows the same. “From our conversations with travel agents there is a pent up demand for travel to New Orleans, particularly from those who are loyal cruisers,” she said.


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Although Mayer had promised that Yahoo will provide details on the new reverse spin-off at the company's upcoming fourth quarter financial meeting, Canyon Capital said Yahoo's current failure to provide "any clear details in terms of analysis, process or timing" was concerning.
ET, with the prime-time GOP debate following at 8:30 p.m. ET. CNN's Dana Bash will be asking the GOP candidates questions at the primetime debate. "According to a CNN spokesperson, however, the network believes showing the debate is a matter of public interest, and that the free stream can build its brand and be a showcase for the industry's "TV everywhere" offerings".
The new Apple Pay competitor will roll out in select Walmart stores in the US this month, followed by a nationwide launch within the first half of 2016. It also comes several months after Google launched the Android Pay mobile wallet app and Samsung debuted Samsung Pay. Walmart is rolling out the new payment system after refusing to partner with Apple Pay .
The three companies would focus on agriculture , materials and speciality products. Dow and DuPont shareholders will each own about 50 percent of the combined company. This company's combined 2014 revenue was about $51 billion on an adjusted basis. The new company's board is expected to have 16 directors, consisting of eight current DuPont directors and eight current Dow directors.
Although the gesture is momentous, it wasn't totally out of the blue-according to Fortune , Hilcorp announced the bonus after the company met a five-year-long sales goal.
Spencer added, "I don't want to dilute what the Xbox console customer feels". Citing an "amazing response" from gamers during its Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale, the Xbox One maker is once again discounting the console, along with digital games, throughout this month until the New Year.


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Rumor has it Foxconn will hire 20,000 new staff to cope with order for Apple's new smartphone
Rumors from China suggest that Apple has placed a huge order for its new iPhone 5 device from manufacturing partner Foxconn; and the Chinese company is planning on hiring 20,000 new bodies in order to fulfill it.
The rumor was picked up by the guys over at CNET, who snagged some information from supply chain sources. There's more than an element of plausibility to the idea, as Apple does have a habit of sticking to set release schedules, sly old badger that it is.
Foxconn's recruitment drive is the main point of note, with the manufacturer looking to open 20 new recruitment centers in or around Taiyuan, in North China, where one of the company's largest manufacturing plants is based. Though, there has been some speculation that this drive is to compensate for striking workers rather than to bolster the current workforce.
There is certainly something afoot, though, and early signs point to Apple launching the first production cycle of its new iPhone, of which there has been no shortage of gossip.
Some parties are suggesting that the device will be wildly different from current form and others are musing over whether the iPhone 5 will make the bump to a new camera sensor, which could be supplied by rival Sony (we're filing that one in the 'don't count on it' tray). But nothing concrete is currently known about the device, so this snippet of information may be the first proper sniff of the next-gen iPhone we have.
Needless to say, we'll keep our collective ear to the ground for more.


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Is Wilko still open? Everything you need to know, from shop closures to administration
11 September 2023, 13:19 | Updated: 13 September 2023, 17:54
The budget retailer has officially entered administration, but is Wilko still open? Can you order online? And which stores are closing down? Here's the latest.
Listen to this article
Wilko announced it had gone into administration in August 2023 after the deadline to secure a rescue deal came and went.
The budget home and garden retailer shared the news with shoppers via social media, posting an open letter from CEO Mark Johnson.
- Listen on Global Player: Spencer & Vogue. Spencer Matthews and Vogue Williams let you know what they’re doing, thinking, and disagreeing on every week
Administrators then grappled to find a deal to save the popular chain, which was able to "continue to trade as normal" for a while, but now the union representing over 3,000 of its staff has revealed most Wilko shops will disappear from the high street altogether.
So what does this mean for customers? Is Wilko still open? Which stores are closing down? Here, we explain the latest.
- Wilko brand saved by The Range in £5million deal
- Which Wilko stores are closing down? Full list of 52 locations revealed
Is Wilko still open?
The GMB Union has confirmed that most Wilko stores will close for good.
A spokesman revealed there was "no longer any prospect that the majority of the business will be saved".
"This means redundancies for staff in store and at call centres will begin during the coming week.
"Some stores may be bought, either individually or as part of larger packages, but significant job losses are now expected."
- Which Wilko stores have Poundland bought? Full list of locations revealed
- Is B&M taking over Wilko and what stores have they bought?
In early September, administrators announced the closure of 52 shops across the UK, sparking over 1,300 job losses.
List of 52 Wilko stores that closed in September:
- Barrow in Furness
- Belle Vale
- Bishop Auckland
- Bletchley FF
- Burnley (Relocation)
- Cardiff Bay Retail Park
- Great Yarmouth
- Liverpool Edge Lane
- New Malden
- North Shields
- Port Talbot
- Queen Street Cardiff
- Southampton-West Quay
- St Austell
- Tunbridge Wells
- Westwood Cross
Has Wilko gone into liquidation?
Wilko officially went into administration on 10th August 2023 after bosses revealed time "had run out" for the business.
The purse-friendly retailer confirmed the news with a heartfelt statement from Mark Jackson, Wilko's chief executive.
He wrote: "We left no stone unturned when it came to preserving this incredible business but must concede that, with regret, we've no choice but to take the difficult decision to enter into administration.
"I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of the directors and the Wilkinson family to thank all of our customers, suppliers, partners and our hardworking team members across our stores, logistics and support centre who remained loyal to Wilko.
"We've all fought hard to keep this incredible business intact but must concede that time has run out and now, we must do what's best to preserve as many jobs as possible, for as long as is possible, by working with our appointed administrators."
Can you still order online at Wilko?
Whether it's new bed linen or back-to-school essentials, your best bet to secure a bargain is to pop down to your local store before it closes.
But with 52 locations already shut for good, it's only a matter of time before shopping in Wilko is a distant memory.
Click and collect and home delivery services have also both been paused, so ordering online isn't an option either.
Has anyone bought Wilko?
Administrators failed to find a buyer to save the 400 stores and 12,500 staff, however two deals have been made to purchase parts of the business.
Wilko rival B&M agreed to save up to 51 locations as part of a £13million arrangement, but it's not yet clear which stores have been bought.
That's alongside budget chain Poundland, who have snapped up a further 71 Wilko shops across the UK.
Both B&M and Poundland are expected to remove all Wilko branding from the 122 locations and refurbish them as their own.
Since the deal was announced, Edward Williams, a joint administrator at PwC, said: "Alongside the previously announced agreement with B&M, we’re confident this sale will create a platform for future employment opportunities for people including current Wilko team members at up to 122 locations.
"We will continue to engage with other retailers around any interest in other Wilko sites and are confident of completing a sale of the brand and intellectual property within the coming days."
What will happen to Wilko?
Wilko appointed administrators over the summer after bosses failed to find a buyer, but this doesn't necessarily mean the beloved budget chain will vanish forever.
If a purchaser was to take on Wilko, it wouldn't be responsible for any of its previous debts.
Buyers could keep the chain going in a number of ways, including saving the actual stores and the brand itself, only purchasing the buildings, or just buying the remaining stock.
As of autumn 2023, a total of 122 stores have been saved but 52 have already closed down.
A spokesperson for PwC previously said: "Since our appointment as administrators of Wilko we have held extensive discussions with parties who expressed an interest in buying all or part of the business.
"While discussions continue with those interested in buying parts of the business, it’s clear that the nature of this interest is not focused on the whole group.
"Sadly, it is therefore likely that there will be redundancies and store closures in the future and it has today been necessary to update employee representatives.
“We know this will further add to the uncertainty felt by workers.
"We will be supporting staff through this deeply unsettling time, working closely with the government, JobCentre plus, unions and large employers to maximise possibilities for a rapid return to work for employees in the event of redundancies."
- Wilko store closures 2023: Wilko goes into administration?
- Full list of Iceland stores that are closing for good
- Boots store closures: Full list of UK locations as more shops are confirmed to close


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The new "BlackBerry Hamburg" is being made by an entirely different company...
With BlackBerry set to decide whether or not it will continue making phones by September, new details about the upcoming "BlackBerry Hamburg" seem to indicate that the Canadian company is ready to put distance between it and the market.
A new listing at the Wi-Fi Alliance has shown that TCL – the company that produces Alcatel brand phones – has a new device on the way with similar privacy suites and model numbers to BlackBerry products.
BlackBerry had confirmed a number of years ago that it was looking at outsourcing the manufacturing of its mid-range smartphones, and now it would seem the Hamburg will be a TCL-creation.
It is set to be unveiled next month, with BlackBerry also planning to release two cheaper offerings in 2016.
After that, however, the future of BlackBerry’s smartphone dealings is very much up in the air.
Once the go-to brand for business people looking to get connected, it failed to adapt as touch screen models became de rigueur.
The company attempted to play catch-up last year, ditching its own operating system to release the Priv (pictured), which runs on Google’s popular Android OS, but sales were sluggish.
Figures released last week showed that 2016 hasn’t brought many positives when it comes to its mobile business.
For the three-month period to May 31st, BlackBerry posted net losses of $670m (€606m). Due chiefly to write-downs and impairments, it was triple the losses of the previous fiscal quarter. Revenue was also down 40% year-on-year, standing at $424m.
Its software and services revenue did climb 39%, however. Structural changes mean its phone sales and software licensing agreements now come under "mobility solutions", which accounts for 36% of total revenue.
It would appear that unit will continue to shrink, as security and identity software moves to the forefront of the company's plans.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen said at the company’s latest AGM:
"The device business must be profitable, because we don't want to run a business that drags onto the bottom line. We've got to get there this year.
"I don’t personally believe handsets will be the future of any company."


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Earlier this week, Google released new updates for Chrome OS devices, including new “hotwording” capabilities.
According to the announcement, the “Okay Google” voice search is now available on Chrome’s New Tab Page and Google.com (the US version only).
Darrell Etherington reported on TechCrunch that the new “Okay Google” voice search for Chrome works automatically, without requiring the user to click or do any other input prompts:
Users will need to enable it once and provide Chrome permission to user their computer’s mic if they haven’t already, but after that, it’s as simple as opening a new tab, navigating to Google.com and speaking the magic words followed by your search request.
With the new updates, Chrome OS Launcher now supports folders to organize apps, and includes new window controls with the return of the minimize button, and left-right tiling of windows via long-press on the maximize button.
Also, Google claims it will now be easier for Chrome users to get online in locations that provide wifi with the implementation of a new “captive portal detection” feature.
The announcement said Google had resolved a number of Chrome’s bug and security issues. The updates will be rolling out over the next several days on all Chrome OS devices – with the exception of ASUS Chromebox and Samsung Series 3 Chromebox.


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Monday, January 13, 2020 / 09:35 AM / FBNQuest Research / Header
Image Credit: share.america.gov
The agriculture sector continues to garner attention as a favoured route to economic diversification. However, constraints such as an outdated land tenure system restricting access to land, the limited adoption of research and technology, high cost of farm inputs, inadequate storage facilities among others have contributed to relatively low agricultural output. Over the past eight quarters, the sector has grown by an average of 2.5% y/y. In Q3 2019, it expanded by 2.3% y/y.
The agriculture value chain is broad and provides an opportunity to boost job creation as well as promote entrepreneurship. We note that the average age of farmers has reduced to 30 - 40 years from 50 - 75 years, which was the norm over the past 40 years.
The CBN's anchor borrowers programme (ABP), launched in 2015, has supported increased agricultural output. We understand that about 1.1 million farmers have benefitted from the programme and there has been increased production of at least seventeen different agricultural products on the back of the ABP.
The border closure which took effect in August last year has resulted in an increase in demand for specific locally produced goods. This of course is a positive although Nigeria is not self-sufficient in a range of food and other products, resulting in selective price increases.
Agricultural GDP growth (% chg; y/y)
Sources: National Bureau of Statistics (NBS); FBNQuest Capital Research
While listing the benefits of the border closure, the FGN disclosed that the closure reduced rice smuggling and catalysed rice production. However, the price of rice has spiked since the closure, pointing towards a lack in domestic supply.
The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) recently disclosed that about 600 rice farmers have been mobilised to commence dry season farming. Each farmer will be cultivating five hectares which should produce 300,000 tonnes of rice post-harvest.
As with most sectors, to boost economic activity, structural deficits such as power shortages still need to be addressed. Furthermore, promoting technology and training farmers will have a lasting impact on the sector.


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|Bid||0.0000 x 4000|
|Ask||0.0000 x 800|
|Day's Range||0.9742 - 1.0700|
|52 Week Range||0.7506 - 5.6000|
|Beta (5Y Monthly)||N/A|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||N/A|
|Earnings Date||Mar 28, 2022 - Apr 01, 2022|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y Target Est||1.00|
Lemonade (NYSE: LMND) isn't wasting any time concocting a new recipe for its business, and investors were rewarding the company for this. This morning, Lemonade announced in a tersely worded press release that it has sold off the enterprise business solutions (EBS) operation of recently acquired Metromile. Neither the price nor the terms of the deal were disclosed; Lemonade only said that it was effected entirely in cash, and that it occurred after Lemonade's buyout of Metromile.
“Today’s actions were not what any of us expected," Metromile's CEO said in an email to staff following the layoffs.
Wag's merger partner had to refund to shareholders 97% of the $125 million it was going to contribute to the San Francisco startup.


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Abbey Logistics Group has continued its recent hiring spree, with the appointment of former XPO man David Thomas as chief financial officer (CFO). Thomas was finance director for XPO’s UK supply chain business. He will sit on the Abbey group board and will oversee the finance, corporate development, risk and commercial legal functions. He will play his part in helping Abbey achieve its 2020 ambition of becoming the UK’s leading bulk liquid and powder transport company, the company said. Steve […]
Tesco distribution director Alex Laffey is to take over as the new chief executive of Eddie Stobart Logistics.
Last month MT exclusively revealed that Yodel chief executive Jonathan Smith is to leave the parcels firm after two years in charge of the combined DHL Express Domestic UK and HDNL (not to mention 18 months in charge of the DHL business alone). Smith’s CV shows more than 20 years’ experience in parcels, including a spell as chief executive of City Link – before its problematic take-over of Target Express – and a regional director role at British Rail’s parcels […]
Bibby Distribution has appointed Paul Kavanagh as its chief operating officer. Kavanagh was MD of Peel Ports Group’s Medway division. He has also held senior positions at NYK Logistics, Christian Salvesen and P&O Ferrymasters. Iain Speak, chief executive of Bibby, says: “With full responsibility for the company’s UK operations, Paul’s primary focus will be to build upon recent successes and facilitate business growth via existing and new customers.” Last month Bibby revealed it had won a contract with Morrisons to […]


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What Does SegWit2x Mean?
SegWit2x is a new policy proposal for the cryptocurrency bitcoin that is now under consideration in the bitcoin community. It builds on a prior protocol called Segregated Witness or SegWit. SegWit and SegWit2x can have some long-term ramifications for the use of bitcoin and related technologies in a financial process, as cryptocurrencies rival traditional national currencies.
Techopedia Explains SegWit2x
The original SegWit optimization was attributed to a developer in the “Bitcoin Core,” the center of the open-source bitcoin community. Developer Pieter Wuille created SegWit in 2015 to increase volumes of transactions in each bitcoin block.
By contrast, SegWit2x has not been endorsed by the Bitcoin Core, but is currently in testing – while implementing the original SegWit, SegWit2x would also create a process for increasing block size in order to facilitate even more transactions.
Due to a debate over the use of SegWit2x, its utility is in question. Another proposal called BIP 148 is also competing for attention and allegiance.


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Top social network, Instagram is reported to be working on extending its video length from 60 seconds to 60 minutes.
Aside extending the video length, the company is also reportedly focusing on portrait videos (Vertical videos with more height than width). Instagram has also met with providers and content publishers interested in producing such lengthy videos.
The testing of this new feature is said to have commenced with a couple of content creators and publishers. Nothing has been finalized yet and Instagram is also yet to release an official statement on this new development, so changes may be made before the feature is made available to all users.


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Mitsubishi is working on some grand ideas and if they are successful, recharging electric vehicles are going to be a whole lot easier. Led by the automaker, they are working together with Kyoto University, and are leading a group of Japan based organizations that have agreed to develop a remote cha...
Peugeot has taken the wraps off of the new 308 hatch and its already decidedly better looking. he design follows the recently launched 2008 crossover, with cleaner lines without a huge gaping maw up front.
Just like a movie? Or not? Here's a video of Brazilian police ramming a suspected drug smuggling plane with their car to prevent it from taking off. The cops decided ram a suspected drug transport plane during takeoff.
Audi has a couple of new videos for its advertising campaign which will begin airing already. With five ads, the longest one is a 60 second spot called "It Couldn't Be Done".
It is set to a reading of the poem of the same name by Edgar Albert Guest and it chronicles the history of the Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt from the days of its founder, August Horch. It shows off its innovation, competition and creativity.
Mercedes-Benz is offering a new range of 140 styling, multimedia and practical accessories for the refreshed E-Class.
This includes a front apron spoiler lip which can be painted in the color desired by the customer at any Mercedes-Benz service center along with a matte black 5 twin spoke 19 inch wheel in a high sheen finish.
News is out that Lamborghini is reportedly going to put the Urus into production. The information comes from EVO's Harry Metaclife, who tweeted that Lambo made the announcement at the final send off dinner of the Granderi Giro 50th anniversary tour.
Volkswagen UK has added the "R-line" trim and a more efficient 1.4 liter TSI petrol engine to the lineup. The new 1.4-liter turbocharged and supercharged four-cylinder petrol unit delivers 160PS or 158bhp and it replaces the 1.8-liter TSI 160 PS / 158bhp unit offering lower CO2 emissions at 144g/km and better fuel economy at 45.6mpg UK combined for the six-speed manual gearbox versions (there's also a 7-speed DSG).
Revealed at the Lamborghini private 50th anniversary party, the Egoista concept is aviation inspired. It's got a silvery body, orange rims and accents, and a glass canopy that is tinted orange. It's only got one seat.


text: It is the consumer that would be most harmed by net neutrality regulation. Decreased network capability, over time, would deny consumers new bandwidth intensive services, both from operators and those who provide services over the operators’ networks. Additionally, as operators increasingly turn to access charges to support network deployment and management, the charges for that access could increase anywhere from $10 to $55 a month for the average consumer. The price of access would increase to the point where consumers might be unwilling or unable to pay it. This could have the effect of discouraging consumers to connect – an ironic turn of events when the objective is universal broadband access.


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CHH restructuring of LVL operation
Friday 22 May 2020
Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) chief executive Prafull Kesha said the proposed restructure intended to end LVL's export business and refocus it to a domestic operation. "The proposal reflects our serious concern that the export part of the LVL business, which accounts for approximately 70 per cent of our production and sales volume, is unprofitable and the business as it operates today can’t continue," Kesha said.
He said while total closure was being considered and remained an option, cutting out LVL's export business could be more viable for its long-term survival. LVL had 325 workers, and it is understood about half were expected to be impacted by redundancies.
A company spokesman said the restructure was not a direct result of Covid-19, however the pandemic had impacted the business. Kesha said Carter Holt Harvey had started its consultation process with staff and was working closely with the union and affected staff.
Copyright 2004-2020 © Innovatek Ltd. All rights reserved.


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A New Way to Converse? MotionSavvy Might Be the Key
by Bill Gerken | published Nov. 7th, 2014
MotionSavvy, a software program developed by former RIT students, aims to break communication barriers between Deaf and hearing people.
The key element of MotionSavvy is its ability to process and interpret American Sign Language (ASL) into voice or text. The promotional video on the company’s website shows what it could be like to have a piece of technology that can connect hearing and deaf people.
MotionSavvy uses technology similar to Microsoft’s Kinect to recognize ASL hand gestures and transform them into English words.
It doesn’t stop there—using voice recognition software comparable to Google Now, Microsoft’s Cortana and Apple’s Siri, MotionSavvy converts spoken words into text for the ASL user. This encourages two-way communication by making it easy for both deaf and hearing people to use.
Ryan Hait-Campbell, along with Wade Kellard, Jordan Stemper and Alex Opalka, met as students at RIT/NTID. The former students proceeded to develop an idea that could prove revolutionary.
The group, established over two years ago by these former students, competed and won third place in NTID’s “The Next Big Idea” competition, a program sponsored by video relay service ZVRS in 2012.
The MotionSavvy website lists the team’s involvement in the 2013 “Saunder’s Summer Startup” program, which focuses on teaching prospective business entrepreneurs how to sucessfully begin a startup, as one of the key elements that brought their product to life.
An article published by TechCrunch stated that “Over 800 deaf people have signed up for the beta test,” and that the founders hope to have a product that will “hit the market in September 2015.”
The real question is, “Will it be marketable?”
Sadie Kulhanek, a third year RIT/NTID Psychology major, isn’t so sure. “For me, I might not need it [MotionSavvy because I can voice and sign,” Kulhanek said. Hard-of-hearing students like Kulhanek might not see the value in the $600 device and the $20-per-month subscription fee.
The MotionSavvy software platform is set to be released on the Uni device, according to MotionSavvy’s website. Though the initial startup price might be a bit steep for consumers, founder Hait-Campbell stated in an interview with iDeafNews.com that the product will be well worth the cost.
The interview highlighted Hait-Campbell’s vision of Uni as a device that will simplify everyday interactions for a deaf person in a hearing world. Trips to the store, conversations with acquaintances and family dinners could be made smoother by using Uni to interact.
Kulhanek said, “I can see it [Uni being beneficial for people who can only sign, but I wonder if it’s any good.” The software is still in beta phase, so until we can see the usability of the product, its ability to transliterate are unknown.
If Uni and MotionSavvy are able to effectively recognize and interpret ASL, what will this mean for interpreters? In his interview, Hait-Campbell mentioned that he believes Uni will increase the amount of jobs for interpreters, not destroy the profession.
While Uni is appropriate for one-on-one interactions, it would not be effective for group meetings or discussions, according to Hait-Campbell. This would mean that deaf individuals seeking a job would be better candidates with the use of Uni, but in the actual workplace, interpreters would be more appropriate. Kulhanek says, “It wouldn’t be the same. A computer is missing the “human element” that interpreters bring. I can’t imagine a computer completely replacing interpreters.”
This revolutionary device may provide a break in the “glass ceiling” for the Deaf community. But until Uni is officially on the market, its affect on the interpreting industry—and the accessibility of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals—will remain unknown.


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Anita Balakrishnan, The Canadian Press Released Thursday, September 10, 2020 4:33PM EDT
TORONTO – Leasing out Possessions for Short Term Remains is All about to get more Complex at Canada’s largest city.
Beginning Thursday,” Toronto homeowners should register with the town if they would like to fill their components for any time less than 28 days.
The new registration procedure – to get listings on temporary rental web sites including Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, Expedia, and also Booking.com – is among a ton of guidelines which could possibly liven down the temporary rental market in town in a time when it’s already under stress.
Other adjustments limit listings into someone’s principal dwelling and specify a maximum of 180 leasing nights annually.
Ana Bailao, chairwoman of the town’s housing and planning committee, according to social networking this week that regulations”shield long-term leasing inventory.”
An analysis published in the Canadian Journal of Urban Research this past year indicated that pre-pandemic nearly half 2018 Airbnb earnings in Canada was created by commercial operators that handled several listings. Even the McGill University researchers suggested 31,000 whole homes were leased regularly enough in 2018 they will probably not home a permanent resident.
The evaluation of short-term leasing operators comes because the business is facing upheaval because of this COVID-19 pandemic. Airbnb chief executive Brian Chesky stated in May that, amid traveling bans as a result of outbreak, the business is anticipating 2020 earnings to become less than half sales in 2019.
Condo owners in downtown Toronto who failed rent their flats on short-term leasing platforms have felt that the effect in the pocketbooks, based on a Statistics Canada investigation.
“Before the outbreak, there was an increase of short-term leases because a influx of investors have been buying properties to lease on short-term leasing platforms. But together with travel restrictions in place, lots of short term rental owners are currently having a more difficult time finding customers,” Statistics Canada said in a July housing cost standpoint.
“There’s already signs of this occurring in Toronto, in which the typical rental costs happen (started ) decreasing as fresh landlords are working to draw customers in a diminished pool of possible tenants. It has potential to translate into falling costs for condos in the biggest Canadian cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.”
Julia Metus, a saleswoman in Realty Executives Plus Restricted Brokerage, stated she’s seen the decrease in condominium prices and lease prices.
“Costs have shrunk a bit in certain condos. The apparent hot ones – that the buildings which people are constantly attempting to get to – a great broker will cost it nicely. But in a few buildings you will find a lot available. Can there be a lot available since lots of them was rental units? I would say , yeah,” Metus explained.
Along with the rules in town, she stated that many condominium boards started restricting supplied rentals less than 1 year after COVID-19 constraints gathered from March. Metus stated that there are so few short term rentals downtown which she has had to phone in search for six-month stays for customers that are anticipating a visa or proceed.
“Maybe a new version will come out which may fill the difference. I have spoke to some business – they’d provide you a complete two-year rental, and then they are going to change the folks living inside. However, the rental was from the title of the firm. I bet you will see a whole lot of that occurring,” Metus explained.
Airbnb has noticed changes in its client base.
Back in July, Airbnb’s coverage head for Canada stated recent reservations in Canada are largely rural, given limitations on global tourism.
Heal Hull, who conducts his own broker in Prince Edward County, Ont., stated the Toronto’s short-term leasing marketplace fades, he’s seeing the contrary impact.
“The short term rentals here in Prince Edward County have slipped straight back with a vengeance,” Hull said.
While most owners have retained their listings out there because of COVID-19 worries, costs and demand have grown for the rest listings. Hull quotes between 2017 and 2019, the amount of Airbnb rental possessions climbed from approximately 200 to 1,200, or 10 percent of the whole housing inventory.
“Obviously, it has had a negative impact on home availability and accessibility for those folks who reside and operate,” Hull said.
This report from The Canadian Press was published Sept. 10, 2020.


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This is how Nicky Diamonds traveled to Colorado earlier this week for the Zumiez 100k event. He shared this photo of himself and his Rolls Royce Wraith posing in front of the private jet that he took to the event. Not too shabby!
Ben Baller and Nicky Diamonds have more than just diamonds in common, they like supercars too. Diamonds shared this photo of himself and Baller posing in front of their cars recently — Diamonds in front of his Ferrari 458 Italia and Baller in front of his Lamborghini Aventador.
Source (@nickydiamonds//Photo by: @shafik)
We had a sneak peek of Nicky Diamonds’ new garage earlier this month but now we have a photo of the final product — and it’s sick! It may only hold three cars but it definitely looks good. Unfortunately it looks like his Rolls Royce Wraith and his Plymouth GTX didn’t make the cut for a spot in the new garage.
When you have as many cars as Nicky Diamonds does, you need a nice garage — and Nicky Diamonds has just that. He recently shared a photo of his new classic 1969 Plymouth GTX sitting on his brand new driveway in front of what looks like a pretty sick garage.
This is what his driveway looked like just a few weeks ago.
Nicky Diamonds really knows how to pick ’em! His collection is always expanding and he knows a sick classic ride when he sees one. This time he’s picked up a 1969 Plymouth GTX. According to his caption on Instagram, he found the car online, had his “boy” go take a look at it and when it checked out, he bought it. This GTX will look great sitting next to his other cars.


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Read today’s daily dose of chic intel right here…
Madonna Biopic ‘Blonde Ambition’ Coming Soon [Page Six]
The project details Madonna’s efforts in the early 1980s in New York City to get her first album released while navigating fame, romance, and the dismissive attitude of the music industry at the time.
LVMH Acquires Christian Dior Couture [BoF]
Details on the new two-part deal, which is valued at $13 billion.
Zac Posen on His New Documentary [The Cut]
House of Z offers a candid look at Posen’s early days, tracing his stratospheric rise in the fashion industry up to what the press called his fall from grace and his comeback.
Penelope Cruz Recreates ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ Singalong [Elle]
…with the help of the movie’s star, Julia Roberts, of course.


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Time Magazine (TM), a leading US magazine and news website with nearly a century of history, will keep Ethereum (ETH) on its balance sheet following a deal with crypto finance company Galaxy Digital, according to a Press release.
The partnership was financed exclusively through Ethereum, which is the second largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin. As part of the deal, TM will officially keep Ethereum on its balance sheet, making it the first leading media company to do so.
Publication time of the newsletter Metaverse
Galaxy Digital’s entertainment division, Galaxy Interactive, is ready to partner with Time Magazine to launch a new edition of Time 100 Companies, featuring leading entrepreneurs and organizations from around the world.
The list compiled by TM highlights Metaverse-related companies and businesses that are “the most influential in the field” as well as organizations that have helped “make Metaverse experiences more accessible, accessible and accessible to businesses and consumers”. TM will also publish its newsletter on the topic of Metaverse.
The magazine will also host educational content on the Metaverse, which will be published on a new website called “TIME for learning”, which is expected to go live in December.
“Metaverse” is a term that refers to a virtual world in which people around the world can interact with one another through a virtual avatar. The concept has received a lot of community and media attention lately and is hosted on blockchain platforms that support smart contracts like Ethereum and Solana.
With the support of Galaxy Digital, TM intends to explain the concept of Metaverse and its growth potential to transform the future. The publication will also include insights from Sam Englebardt and Richard Kim’s General Engagement Partners at Galaxy Interactive to simplify the Metaverse concept for its readers.
“We look forward to partnering with TM, an iconic brand that drives innovation to bring readers, creators and the curious to Metaverse and shed light on the tremendous transformation that is taking place inside,” commented Mike Novogratz, CEO and Founder from Galaxy Digital, the partnership.
TM and cryptocurrency
This isn’t the first time Time Magazine has openly accepted crypto payments. They have been holding Bitcoin since April after signing an agreement with institutional crypto services company Grayscale.
Back in April, TM made an agreement with Crypto.com to accept payments in cryptocurrency for its donations.
Join Bitcoin Magazine Telegram to keep track of news and comment on this article: https://t.me/coincunews
According to Cryptoslate